Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-04-15
: GENERAL
: ANTONIO LOPEZ DE SANTA ANA.
JUNO q, DE 1875,
81 ESPOSA LIZ DEDICA.

The last line-"erected by his
wife"-calls attention to new made
mound beside him, wherein lately has
come to rest the wife Of his declining
years, bis last and best love, Dolores
Tosta de Santa Ana The romance
of her life is so little known, even in
Mexico, that when she died, few
weeks ago, at the age of sc, and was
buried without pomp or ceremony,
the few newspapers which alluded to
the event spoke Of her as very aged
woman, evidently believing her to be
the former wife Of tie ruler, who, had
she lived until now, would have been
past eighty
One day, while riding in his car
riage down the calle de San Francis
co, the main street of the Mexican
capital Santa Ana observed a beau
tiful child, barefooted and shabbilv
dressed, sitting on the ground near
the door of poor shop, playing with
q kitten The little girl-who was
then but twelve years old-quite un-
conscious of the attention she was at.
tracing, displayed the grace of a
fawn aud the limbs of an incipient
Venus in the frolic with her pet, and
when she chanced to look up and en-
countered the intense gaze of the
| fierce old Dictator she blushed and
smiled, showing the most beautiful
pearly teeth. But this was no Maud
Muller'5 romance, for, though the
great man rode away" be sent a
messenger next day il the person oI
middle.aged Captain of the Palace
Guards When this hly-bedizen.
ed, belaced and befogged functionary
entered the poor little shop the widow
Tosta-good soul believed be had
come to purchase some OF her incom-
parable ciJareloiS, and FASTENED to
place the best she had before him; but
what was her surprise and consterna.
tion when be waved them away with
naughty gesture and announced that
he came as the bearer of q message
from "Su Ateza," the President oi
the Republic. Well, the message
in reference to the widows one eve
lamb, accompanied by liberal offer
of money-so aroused the worthy
woman's ire that before it the Cap.
tain retired on the double-quick, NUT.
teriDg to himself, deserved me right;
it was cowardly for soldier to un.
dertake such mission"
Not many days lates palace fop,
who had never smelled gunpowder,
called on Sonora Tosta, and said with.
out circumlocution, Don't he fool,
my good woman. His Highness de-
sires you to send your daughter to
the palace Accede to his wishes,
and you may shut up this miserable
little shop and live in splendor the
rest. of your days" Choking with
wrath, the mother could find no
words lor reply, but seizing jarrtto
Of red beans which were stewing in a
brazios, she hurled them red-bot al
the head of the messenger. AS he
beat an ingorlous retreat, his yellow
satin vest beemeared with what
should have been their dinner, little
Dolores laughed merrily at his dis
comfiture, believing in her simplicity
that Su Alteza wanted her for o
kitchen-maid to wash dishes at the
palace.
Sonora Tosta hoped that now she
had routed the enemy, and Lola--the
child's pet name--appeared to have
forgotten the report that the Presi-
dent rode past the shop several times
every day, and never failed to look in
A fortnight had passed away when
one morning the great Dictator him
self walked into the humble room
Lola, now thoroughly frightened, ran
into back room and hid herself un,
der the bed. Brave as a lioness in
defense Of her young, Sonora Tosta
did not return the courteous saluta.
tion of the President, but with fash
ing eyes and arms akimbo began
lecturing him in this wise:
"You you who ought to be the
father of OF the people, to try to rob a
widowed mother of her child ~
| "Listen to me, my good woman, y